


Two Cherry Blossoms

by BlackWater627



Category: Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru: Futari no Elder
Genre: Fluff, Future Fic, Gender Bender, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Nonbinary Character, Other, non-binary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:15:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22234687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackWater627/pseuds/BlackWater627
Summary: Chihaya and Kaoruko are on a date and yet the flowers have barely begun to bloom. Spring is late but Chihaya is kept warm by the eternal love they now share with Kaoruko.Futari no Elder fluff with an enby Chihaya. Based on the manga adaption.
Relationships: Chihaya Kisakinomia/Kaoruko Nanahara
Kudos: 2





	Two Cherry Blossoms

A warm breeze rustled the petals lying at Chihaya’s feet. One, two, then three of the light pink flowers were tossed up then gently landed back on the ground. One of them was now lying lazily against Chihaya’s boot heel.

Chihaya let out a sigh, not even sure themself if it was from relief or a gradually shortening stock of patience.

“Kaoruko,” Chihaya breathed out the name in solitude. The girl wasn’t beside them on the sun-warmed park bench. On the one hand, Kaoruko had been less insistent today on seeing Chihaya in the most “girly” of outfits they owned. They had gotten out of wearing the 9cm heeled short boots in favor of the 6cm ones – not that the style was any less feminine. On the other hand, she had been insistent about getting the two of them a pair of “cherry blossom” ice cream cones that a pop-up stall was selling at the park entrance.

Why ice cream of all things? Chihaya thought and wrapped their arms around themself, the feel of the soft snow white sweater they were wearing a welcome sensation in spite of the warm breeze. It was still cold enough, after all. The cherry blossoms had only barely begun due to this year’s unusual weather and yet Kaoruko had pulled them out for a “viewing” date regardless.

Who wanted ice cream in weather like _this_ anyways? Doesn’t one of the other stalls have some _warm_ cherry blossom tea or something?

Chihaya was beginning to dread the impending chill they would get upon the first lick of ice cream. They could have said no. That was obvious. It was just that…

...it was hard to say no when Kaoruko made _that_ face.

_Pleeeeease. I love you soooo much. It’ll be so romantic._

That was what that expression of hers had written all over it when she used it. And use it she did. The girl had practically _weaponized_ that look.

At least she hadn’t made them wear the pink sweater. Chihaya had no problem with the fact that most of their clothes were bought in the “women’s” section to fit their figure and fashion sense but that didn’t mean they were trying to dress super feminine. Well, Chihaya reconsidered, it wasn’t that pink was feminine so much as it was the excessive amount of hearts on that particular sweater.

Chihaya relaxed the self-warming hug to run their hands across the pleats of the light gray and red striped long skirt they were wearing over the warm gray leggings. They smiled in spite of being off and on about whether they wanted to keep a line up of skirts in the wardrobe. If it weren’t for Seiou Academy, they wouldn’t have any fond memories of dresses or skirts to encourage the present use thereof. But then if it weren’t for Seiou, so many other fond memories would not exist either. Let alone Kaoruko.

The very thought of never meeting Kaoruko again and developing a relationship with her caused Chihaya’s heart to tighten.

No matter what laid ahead, the two of them would be together. Not just because Kaoruko had fallen in love with them but because of the reverse as well.

The smile on Chihaya’s face lingered now for a new reason.

“Chihaya~!”

They knew that voice. Cute and caring, with a spice of fiery confidence gained in years past. The girl the voice belonged to was walking up to the bench, a cone of pink ice cream in each hand. The color matched only the lapels and centerline of her button-up shirt she was wearing. Most of her colors were in black and white. Stylish and only lightly feminine, effectively and literally making her the “pants” between the two of them. Chihaya didn't care for the term personally, but Kaori has a habit of teasing them over it.

It was difficult for Chihaya to determine what styles and fashions looked best on their girlfriend because Kaoruko always seemed breathtakingly gorgeous no matter what she wore. Perhaps this was the blinding effect of love that Fumi kept reminding them about. In Chihaya’s eyes, Kaoruko was forever the most beautiful thing in their life.

“I see you were _successful_ ,” Chihaya replied back, attempting to mask the disappointment and failing.

Kaoruko’s face turned sour as she took a seat beside her love. “I told you that you didn’t have to have any with me if you didn’t want to.”

Chihaya shrugged. “You gave me the _look_. I had little choice. Besides,” they added with a sly look, “who am I to turn down a fellow elder?”

“Geez,” Kaoruko groaned and shoved one of the cones into Chihaya’s hands. “Just take it.”

It’s actually starting to melt, Chihaya thought with a hint of surprise as they took the cone and gave it a tentative lick.

“...and thanks,” Kaoruko said softly, most of her attention on her own ice cream and the small forest of cherry blossom trees in front of them.

“For joining you in your obsession with premature cherry blossom viewing and ice cream in the cold?” Chihaya nearly laughed.

Kaoruko groaned again and had the urge to rib the fellow former elder in their side with her elbow. “I meant _you_. Dressing up for me, I mean...”

Chihaya glanced again to their outfit. It wasn’t exactly a departure from their usual choice of attire. No makeup, since they didn’t really have much interest in it. Perhaps it was the skirt? Or perhaps the padding they had given to the bra to replicate the size they had once regularly had at Seiou. The sweater did a good job of highlighting the size rather than diminish it. They supposed upon the reflection that their appearance would indeed be consistent with the “Chihaya-oneesama” as “she” would have been on a casual weekend off academy grounds (and still presenting as a girl).

Something about that fact warmed their heart as much as it obviously did for Kaoruko. They had once been caught between worlds. “He” and “she” were once two identities that haunted them. Born one, resembling another. Living as one, hiding the other. Tormented by both. Content with neither.

It took a life at Seiou Academy and Kaoruko Nanahara to confront those identities. She helped Chihaya realize the most important thing about themself.

Chihaya was Chihaya. They didn’t have to live up to any of those expectations anymore. Just be themself. It wasn’t a burden to be feminine because they didn’t have to be masculine. And it wasn’t a problem to masculine because they were no longer an elder of Seiou caged to the “ideal woman.” They didn’t want to dress up to “be" one or the other and they no longer had to.

They didn’t like makeup but were willing to do a few other things to make Kaoruko smile. And yet, it would be a lie to say it was only ever for her. There was something about those memories of that “warm and safe place” as an elder at Seiou. Something about being that oneesama that the others considered their own “warm and safe place.” A place where one’s darkest insecurities would never be mocked and one’s deepest desires would only ever be accepted with love. It was that feeling they wanted to retain forever. The core of what it meant to be an oneesama there...and now...

And now they were just another adult in the world living with the person who had helped them grow into the person they were today.

Living together...indeed they were.

_I really am softer than this melty ice cream if thoughts like this are making my heart soar_ , they thought.

“You’ve got a dopey smile on your face,” Kaoruko nudged her lover with a playful grin to match. “Want to share?”

“I was just reflecting,” Chihaya responded calmly, a serene smile on their face causing Kaoruko’s playfulness to quickly be replaced with a blush. “All of those years ago, I could never have imagined having a beautiful young woman like you for the rest of my life...or being your _oneesama_ in return.”

Chihaya’s added side-glance complete with a well-timed wink caused the remark to bullseye straight into Kaoruko’s heart. The red blush lit her entire face and might have even traveled as far as her hands.

There was no witty comeback.

Just Kaoruko, leaning against Chihaya and silently acknowledging her oneesama and lover beside her. As she happily melted into the reality, Chihaya put an arm around her, hugging her back fondly.

There truly were not many cherry blossoms yet. A few petals on the ground here and there only hinted at any buds that might have opened. Of the trees in sight, only one pair of flowers had fully bloomed.

Two cherry blossoms leaning against each other.


End file.
